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GTA 6, Nintendo Switch 2, More Gaming Handhelds: Here's What to Expect From Gaming in 2025

GTA 6, Nintendo Switch 2, More Gaming Handhelds: Here's What to Expect From Gaming in 2025 64134k

Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated for release on current-gen consoles in Fall 2025. 2f3j15

Written by Manas Mitul | Updated: 31 December 2024 20:59 IST

GTA 6, Nintendo Switch 2, More Gaming Handhelds: Here's What to Expect From Gaming in 2025

Between GTA 6 and NIntendo Switch 2, 2025 is set to be a big year for gaming f1t5a

Highlights

Nintendo Switch 2 will be announced before March 2025
GTA 6 was revealed with a trailer late last year
Sucker Punch's Ghost of Yotei will release in 2025

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Between games industry layoffs, studio closures, live service disasters, and — despite it all — some excellent games, 2024 was a packed year for the medium. Some of the biggest stories of the year were marked by industry-wide shifts — from Call of Duty coming to Game .

But for all of 2024's biggest gaming stories, 2025 somehow promises to be bigger. From a little game called Grand Theft Auto 6, to the successor to a modestly successful console called the Nintendo Switch – the coming year could be a landmark year in gaming. With 2024 in our rearview mirror, let's look at our picks for things to look out for in gaming in 2025:

Grand Theft Auto 6 6j2453

What feels like three decades after the launch of GTA 6 becomes a reality in the Fall of next year. It is, without a shred of doubt, the most anticipated game of all time. At this point, it's not just a game; it's a lightning rod for all that gaming is and can be.

These Are the Best Games We Played in 2024

The next Grand Theft Auto is not only a watershed moment for Rockstar, a studio that has perhaps set the bar higher than anyone else in the medium, but also for the games industry as a whole. It is bound to revitalise console sales, bring unprecedented press and global attention to the medium and inspire endless conversation online for years to come.

Just like during the run up to the release of Cyberpunk 2077, there's also an undeniable feeling that GTA 6 will slam open a window to what games of the future will look and play like. The first trailer already set the expectations high, and the clamour for a second trailer has now crossed the year mark. With no news on GTA 6 in 2024, next year will also bring a drip feed of updates on the game. We don't yet have an official release date, and a delay into 2026 seems unlikely at this point. But whenever GTA 6 comes out next year, it will be the biggest event on the gaming calendar.

Nintendo Switch 2 6e3z14

Nintendo Switch has done well. The cute, little hybrid handheld has sold over 145 million units since it went on sale in 2017. And Nintendo is finally ready to bring out its successor, the Nintendo Switch 2. The Japanese company has remained tight-lipped on its next console, only confirming so far that the Switch 2 will be launched before the end of March 2025, and it will be backwards compatible with Nintendo Switch games.

Nintendo Switch 2 Tipped to Release on This Date

The year will likely see strong sales of the Switch 2 and a host of Nintendo first-party releases for the new console. The Nintendo Switch successor will be more powerful, perhaps feature a bigger display and a better battery. Leaks have provided some insights into the features of the hybrid console. It is likely to get a more powerful dock, a redesigned stand and magnetic Joy-Con controllers to eliminate stick drift.

The Switch 2, however, has a lot to live up to. Its beloved predecessor is the third-highest selling console of all time after the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS. But expect Nintendo to be up for the task. The Nintendo Switch 2 could emulate the original Switch and become the defining piece of gaming hardware for the next few years.

More Gaming Handhelds 2u5r5o

Windows-based gaming handheld PCs from brands like Asus, Lenovo, MSI and more. 2025 will likely see more of these make it to market.

Sony Is Exploring Ways to Leverage Past IPs and Classic Franchises

Lenovo is likely readying its new lineup of Microsoft are reportedly working on handhelds that can play PlayStation and Xbox games, respectively. While these devices are unlikely to arrive in 2025, we may see more details about them emerge in the coming months.

Nintendo Switch 2 will undoubtedly be the king of the handheld form factor, and Steam Deck has held strong against increasing competition, even as an announcement about its successor looks unlikely. But the coming year could see some other major players jump into the handheld space, including Nvidia. Between the Switch 2, Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go and MSI Claw, a crowded field will have to make room for more.

The Steam Deck OLED released in 2023
Photo Credit: Valve

What's Next from PlayStation in 2025 5x523f

This was an eventful year for PC, and providing a blueprint for future multiplayer releases from Sony.

Lenovo Could Announce SteamOS-Based Lenovo Legion Go S at CES

Single-player titles exclusive to the PS5 were a bit of a mixed bag. Stellar Blade offered new experiences in a year lacking a tentpole PlayStation exclusive, but they didn't quite meet the high standards of the platform. And Astro Bot proved that Sony could look beyond third-person action-adventure titles for their next big hit.

But the PlayStation parent is surely gearing up for a busier 2025. Wolverine and whatever Santa Monica Studio has quietly been cooking since the developer released God of War Ragnarök. We could, however, get more updates about these games next year.

What's Next for Xbox in 2025 4qj2s

From a strategic shift that saw the company release its first-party games on rival platforms, to major first-party releases that finally showed the first signs of Microsoft's acquisition spree bearing fruit – Xbox had an interesting 2024. With Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Stalker 2 and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 in its rearview mirror, Xbox now looks towards its 2025 slate – and it's looking good!

Xbox Could Hold a Developer Direct Showcase in January

Microsoft will kick off 2025 with Fable is also slated to launch in 2025.

We might see more Xbox games make their way to PlayStation and Switch, and we may get more details about the Xbox handheld reported to be in the works. There might not be any big surprises, but 2025 is set to be good year for Game subscribers and players on the Xbox platform.

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Further reading: Gaming Handheld

Manas Mitul

Email Manas Mitul

In his time as a journalist, Manas Mitul has written on a wide spectrum of beats including politics, culture and sports. He enjoys reading, walking around in museums and rewatching films. Talk to Manas about football and tennis, but maybe don’t bring up his video game backlog. More